Wednesday morning, when Kyo walked into class, Kimori looked at him and instead of a normal greeting he asked a question, "are you free after school?"
Kyo pondered for a moment thinking of whether he needed to help the chess club out again today or not. "I think so, why, what's up?" coming to the conclusion that he could just help out during lunch and miss helping out after school.
"We need people to test run our haunted house, seeing what works and what doesn't. Both in terms of what is or isn't scary, but also to make sure the lighting, sound, and props are doing their duty." Kimori said while further explaining that most of the club members' friends are also busy with their preparations for the festival so they didn't know who to ask to test run the haunted house other than the student council.
"If you would like, I can ask all of the student council to help out, having us go in as pairs or something?"
"That would be amazing, thank you Kyo." Kimori said excitedly.
Homeroom went on as boring as usual, however, their homeroom teacher gave out the golden week homework packet saying "You can enjoy your youth, but you can't lack on studying."
This continued with their other class, then lunch rolled around. Kyo first went out to the school yard and checked in with the chess club. "Arianagi, you are good to get back to student council work with president Hanami." Asobu Shosha said with a small wink before continuing, "as it stands we are on track to finish preparations by tomorrow, it's really just getting the outfits ready."
"It isn't like that between us!!"
"Yet"
Kyo turned and fled away, partly embarrassed and partly grateful that he had more time to ask Yuuki if she wanted to join him in testing out the art club's haunted house. Meeting her by staircase, he noticed her beauty more than ever. This was the first time Kyo had seen Yuuki since his realization about his feelings. Kyo wasn't too stressed about seeing her in the morning, but she was busy helping other people out.
Now that she was in front of him, his heart skipped a beat, her red eyes felt like they were piercing into his soul. Yuuki turned to see a frozen-in-place Kyo. "Are you ok?" Yuuki said with a smile.
Kyo slightly bit the inside of his mouth after hearing her words as if seeing if he was dreaming. The pain and her question brought him back to his senses though. "Yes, I am fine, sorry, I just realized I forgot my lunch."
Yuuki laughed, and said, "Me too! Wanna go to the cafeteria together?"
Kyo nodded and Yuuki stood up. "Then let's go." Her long hair curled with the breeze and Kyo followed by her side.
…
"Would you like to test out the haunted house that the art club set up?" Kyo said as they entered the school. Her expression was something that he wasn't expecting; however, she turned as if scared. If drawn in an anime or manga she would have dark lines on her face and voided eyes with a quivering mouth, "sure, which days are you free?" Yuuki said with a slight shiver to her voice.
"Oh, I should have explained further. The art club wants help testing it out, so it would be today after school. If you don't want to, then you don't have to."
Yuuki seemed more scared since there would be no time to mentally prepare herself. However, she shook her head as if to psyche herself up. "As the student council president, I will have to inspect it."
"What is with the sudden formalities?" Kyo said, confused by the sudden change in attitude. "If it makes you feel better, we would go in pairs, since that's how it will be at the festival." Kyo continued.
This eased Yuuki's heart and soul, "that sounds good, I will ask the rest of the student council members to join and head there after school."
The two ordered and received the grilled fish dish, which came with grilled fish, white rice, soup, carrots, and choice of drink. Yuuki got oolong tea while Kyo got water. The two sat down and continued their conversation.
"Kyo, do you like horror themed stuff?"
"Like shows, manga, Halloween, and haunted houses? Yeah I guess so. My frustration is that it all feels kinda fake and repetitive. As an example, fake blood in movies and shows is never the right color."
"Huh. I get really creeped out by horror things, even if it is all fake."
"I could tell, but there isn't anything wrong with that. My little sister also hates horror things." Kyo said with a small chuckle, "Anyway, what is your favorite holiday Yuuki?"
"Christmas!" Yuuki said with happiness in her eyes, "I love the lights, music, atmosphere, and most of all the snow!"
"I have to agree, I like wearing jackets and staying inside reading." Kyo added.
"I totally get that!" Yuuki said this as if all the horror talk was in a far away place. "I have an idea, let's do a white elephant exchange when winter rolls around."
"That is super far away!" Kyo exclaimed
"Hahaha, I am just thinking of all the fun this year's student council will be" With those final words, the food was finished, and the bell rang.
…
After school, all of the student council members were in front of the art club. The door was a deformed human mouth, rotted teeth, split lips, and a tongue that reached outside the door made by paper mache. Emi Bijutsu was there to greet them.
"Hello everyone! Welcome to the Deformed Departure haunted house where you will traverse a rotten land. You have a chance to make it out as long as you don't fall into the stomach! Best watch your step."
"Why would our group ever willingly enter this monstrosity?!?!?" Yuuki asked, terrified by the shockingly realistic looking mouth before us.
Bijutsu thought for a moment, "you make a great point prez, your mission is to find your friend Alice, succeed and you won't be covered in acid (slime)! Fail and you get dissolved by acid (slime)."
"Emiiiii…" Yuuki said, sounding very disheartened knowing that there is no Alice left to save.
"Alright, with that explanation and lore out of the way, the rules are simple. Go through the haunted house in pairs of two and let us know your thoughts at the end."
The groups were as follows: Yuuki and Kyo. Ryuji and Miura. Shino and Kimori. Kimori was there as a club representative to ensure that each group ahead of them was experiencing things properly. Originally Shino was going to go in by herself, since haunted houses don't affect her, but Kimori made his case to the president of the art club and was granted permission to go with Shino.
Kyo and Yuuki walked through the mouth and into the mouth of the haunted house. The first stage was the lungs. Kyo and Yuuki had to walk through two pieces of long fabric, one on each side, that were being pushed together by air.
They both had to turn their bodies sideways and slowly walk forward down the lungs as the fabric pushed against them. As they were forced to look at the contraption they noticed that the fabric was covered in blood (painted on). Kyo was unimpressed because the lighting made the blood look more pink than red. Yuuki was less scared of this contraption, but found it hard to breathe from the fabrics being pushed together.
The second stage was the coolest, in the largest spot in the classroom was the heart. After exiting the lungs, Yuuki and Kyo entered a blood red room, with music to that of beating.
BA-Dum, BA-DUm, BA-Dum over and over again.
In the center of the room was an incredible paper mache heart, with all the tubes and muscle tissues drawn on it. It hung from the top of the room as though it was some kind of deity. After they stared at the creepy but fascinating heart before them, people in black cloaks started to enter from behind the black curtains and went past Kyo and Yuuki. Eventually blocking the heart's red light, turning the room black.
The two visitors fled to the next and final portion of the haunted house. They followed the black curtains which slowly went from black to white, looking up, they saw a white bony spinal column. The ceiling had white fabric hanging down, while the spinal column was also made with paper mache. Suddenly, as though a lever was pulled, the end pieces of each bone on the fake spinal cord extended. Tiny legs formed and with string were being moved like a puppet.
As Yuuki and Kyo walked down the section, it looked as though a giant bone centipede was walking over their heads making strange creaking and crushing noises.
The two finally reached the end, and walked out of the classroom. Turning around the two saw what looked like a bloody hip, with the same kind of detail as the mouth.
"This was made to look like you were walking down half a body. The story being that the man we are in was severed in half." Bijutsu said once Kyo and Yuuki appeared out of the classroom.
"There was no sign of Alice!?" Kyo yelled, having kept an eye out.
"Pfft, haha, I was kidding about that part. You crack me up Arianagi. Anyway, what did you two think?"
Yuuki was surprisingly calm, explaining that the haunted house was more "cool" than "scary" . The craftsmanship and effort that went into this was a marvel to look at. Kyo agreed with this sentiment, "I was more so questioning how you guys created the spinal cord, than being creeped out by what it had become."
Bijutsu looked at them, and thought about it for a moment, "not too scary, but cool, hmmm. Well it isn't even close to Halloween yet, so if that's what it is, not much we can do about it." She said, smiling to herself.
...
Shortly after their conversation, the second group, Ryuji and Miura, came out. They were unfazed. "What was the point in that?" and "It was cool, but not scary" were their respective thoughts.
"How can we make it spookier?"
"Add a freaking jump scare! All this was just showing off the art club's artistic capabilities." Ryuji explained.
The rest of them could only nod their heads in agreement.
…
The third group, Shino and Kimori, had also reached the exit. Kimori, who was a member of the art club, knew what was going to happen. A creator watching his creation move and function. He was more so relieved that everything worked perfectly than anything else. But he did have a big smile on his face.
Shino, a woman nicknamed the Ice Princess, was also unfazed, in fact, she was happy. Offering a small yet creepy smile.
Shino then gave her thoughts, "add a jump scare or two, make the lighting a tad darker, add blood or something to the centipede at the end, increase the atmosphere."
Kimori and Bijutsu nodded their heads. "We will get started on some changes, please check it out again during the festival." Bijutsu said, waving the student council members goodbye.
…
Fifteen minutes earlier. When Kimori and Shino were the last group waiting to depart into the haunted house.
"Hey, umm, are you free during the festival?" Kimori said slightly blushing unsure if this was ok to ask Shino.
"Free, adjacent, I suppose."
What does that mean?!? Kimori thought. "I will be here most of the time, but I was wondering if you would like to get lunch together during the festival."
"You mean going to the maid cafe right?"
"I don't just go to maid cafes…"
"Really?"
"I am down to get anything."
"As long as it's with me? Are you asking me on a date?"
"No, I just want to get to know you better."
"So that you can ask me on a date?"
"NO! I promise I am not a playboy who just wants to go on a date. I want us to be friends, since we have a lot in common."
"I am just teasing you, Kimori Tora. I will be walking around the festival all three days and helping whoever needs it. Sooo, if you need my help, then I have to be there."
"Then I need your help picking a good place to eat."
"And which day will you be eating?"
Ok, that last one I could understand, but what does that even mean?!?!? "Sunday for sure."
"Then I will see you on Sunday."